A close look at this year's highlights, surprises, omissions, and least interesting gets

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There’s something achingly nostalgic about Lollapalooza’s 2017 lineup. Maybe it’s seeing Muse at the top of the bill for a third time in a decade? Or the fact that Arcade Fire and The Killers are together again like it’s 2005? Or perhaps it’s all the blatant indie rock? Wait, is that fucking Live on there? As in, Ed Kowalczyk’s Live? It is!

Yeah, there are plenty of reasons to be reaching for that pair of rose-tinted lenses while looking at this lineup, and not all of them are entirely positive. Because really, the strongest hallmarks of this poster aren’t what defined us 10-15 years ago, but what’s happening right now in the present, and for that, it’s not too shabby.

Chance the Rapper gets to finish his marathon year at home to arguably his biggest crowd. Lorde gets to be trusted with a headlining slot, despite the fact that this could have happened three years ago (no lie). Run the Jewels look primed to take the big stage after slumming it on the sidelines multiple times. And yes, we got Migos.

Oh, the Atlanta collective aren’t the only gem to be found in the rough. Ryan Adams, who’s been missing from so many lineups this summer, returns for the first time in over a decade, bringing with him this year’s best record. Spoon is also joining in for the fun, as are The xx, Cloud Nothings, The Japanese House, and Liam Gallagher.

Of course, that doesn’t make up for the downright ugly inclusions on this lineup, all of which we’ll get into in the pages ahead. These range from festival repeats/leftovers to downright carnival fare that simply doesn’t belong on a Lollapalooza lineup, at least not where they’re all currently at in their respective careers. Oh well?

That’s one way to see it. Another way is to step back, look at it as a whole, and take this lineup for what it is: an agreeable tribute to the core values of Lollapalooza with a top line that stresses a love for alternative music. Sure, some of their choices may be uninspiring, to say the least, but you can’t fault them for trying to be succinct.